Lobbyist Helped Paying Tribes Meet Bush

At the behest of a lobbyist now under criminal investigation, two Indian tribes paid $25,000 each to a conservative tax-exempt group to underwrite an event that scored tribal leaders a private meeting with President Bush. The arrangement in 2001 between the tribes, lobbyist Jack Abramoff and the Americans for Tax Reform group, led by Bush supporter Grover Norquist, was confirmed by tribal lawyers and documents showing the solicitation of money and promise of a meeting.

"The exposure would be incredible and would be very helpful," Abramoff wrote to one of the tribe's attorneys in asking for the donation. "One of the things we need to do is get the leaders of the tribe (ideally the chief) in front of the president as much as possible."

At the time, the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana and Mississippi Band of Choctaw were seeking to protect their casino gaming revenues from tougher labor regulations and to block changes in federal gaming laws that might interfere with their casinos.A federal grand jury is investigating whether Abramoff and a lobbying partner overcharged Indian tribes millions of dollars for their work.Abramoff spokesman Andrew Blum declined to discuss the 2001 White House meetings. In the past, Abramoff has denied wrongdoing and argued his clients got their money's worth for his work.

President Clinton was heavily criticized by Republicans for rewarding big donors with invitations to special White House coffees and overnight stays in the Lincoln Bedroom. But those donors usually contributed directly to the party. The chief lawyer for the Federal Elections Commission during the Clinton fund-raising controversy said the Abramoff episode demonstrates how special interests win access through money — but this time the donations went to an outside group aligned with the White House.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050608/ap_on_go_pr_wh/abramoff_tribes

I assume that was the point. Wonder if this will be assigned a special prosecutor. Ha!

Abramoff screwed the Indians at every twist and turn. You would think that with all the money the Indians threw at Abramoff, the Indians wouldn't have had to stand for this kind of treatment.

sorry, i'm not feeling too sorry for them right now. they should have known better than to pander to the ilks of the neocons.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050608/ap_on_go_pr_wh/abramoff_tribes

By SUZANNE GAMBOA, Associated Press Writer
Wed Jun 8, 2:08 AM ET



WASHINGTON - An arrangement involving two Indian tribes, the head of an anti-tax organization and a lobbyist now under criminal investigation — plus $50,000 — secured Indian leaders a private audience with President Bush.

Each of the players, including the president, had something to gain from the deal, carried out in 2001 and confirmed by tribal lawyers and documents showing the solicitation of money and the promise of a meeting with Bush.

<snip>


For Bush, participating in an event sponsored by the Americans for Tax Reform gave a hand to a pro-Republican group and its head, Grover Norquist, a longtime Bush ally and political consultant. Besides, lobbyist Jack Abramoff himself had raised more than $100,000 on behalf of Bush and had his own ties to Norquist.

"What this is, is the president helping out Americans for Tax Reform by agreeing to speak at their event," said Larry Noble, the former chief lawyer for federal election enforcement who now heads the Center for Responsive Politics. "The quid pro quo is ATR helps out the president with support of his agenda at the same time ATR is able to sell it to lobbyists and others as something that needs to be underwritten."

<snip>

:kick:

.. the local white racetrack had already put in the new slot machines before the shit started.. then the guy who did the dirty work went to the Tiguas and actually told them he could git their casino back.. and ripped them off for another Bundle !! they are evil and have no shame.